Realizing Rika
by summerdragonfly
Summary: A month after the D-Reaper. Ryo and Rika have a serious heart-to-heart. Part song-fic, Avril Lavigne's "Naked". R+R! :D


Realizing Rika  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
by Summer Dragonfly(aka J-chan)  
  
  
A/N: Hey every1! Ok, this is a Ryo/Rika fic. I've decided to use Rika because ALL Digimon fans  
will follow Rika but not all of us(i.e. American dub fans) will follow Ruki. Rika is 13 and  
Ryo is 14. I've decided to use the American dub names for the tamers(Jenrya=Henry,   
Juri=Jeri, etc.)  
  
Anyway, this is my first fic after recovering from a little writer's block(try 8 months...hehehe).   
I don't normally write anyother Anime except DBZ/GT but I've been a fan of Digimon for a long   
time, and I thought why not? I recently became a fan of Ryuki romance, too.  
  
Well disclaimers are that I don't own anything in Digimon at all, blah blah blah. Also, this is a   
bit of a song fic(the song doesn't come on until later). It's the song "Naked" by Avril Lavigne  
(the new punk rock diva! :)). No, it's not hentai you perverts. Heehee! The song is a reflection  
of Rika. Well all I can say is that I hope I haven't lost it since 8 months ago...and enjoy all   
you Digimon and Ryuki fans!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Rika was poking at her dinner, pasta with a sauce her mother made. It had been a month since the  
D-Reaper incident, but she still couldn't get it off her mind. She realized how close she had   
been to death. Wandering around in the Digital World...battling with Sakuyamon...giving Sakuyamon's  
power to Justimon and Ryo...  
  
Ryo. Her eyes flickered with a sense of remembrance. What was it that drawed her to him? Maybe  
it was his braveness. But no! How can someone so..so..arrogant be so brave wonderful? Rika thought.  
What was she thinking? Was she actually attracted to Ryo Akiyama? No way!  
  
"Something wrong, Rika dear?" Rika's mom looked at her with concern.  
  
Rika dropped her fork in surprise. "Nothing, mother. Nothing at all." Rika took a sip of water.  
  
"Rika." Her mother said seriously. "It's come to my attention that I haven't gotten the time to  
know you, with work and all. Tell me what's on your mind. I know the teen years can be tough,  
especially for a girl with divorced parents."  
  
Rika sighed. *I've softened up ever since I started hanging around with gogglehead and his  
cronies. Sure, I love Mom and feel closer to her ever since she got me my new shirt,  
but...I can't discuss this with her!* Rika thought.  
  
"Mom, I appreciate your concern and all, but..." Rika hesitated. "Nothing, all right? Can't I just  
put on a dress, spin around in it, and we'll call it a night?"  
  
Rika's mother looked hurt. "Yes, of--of course. I wouldn't want to force you into talking to me."  
  
Rika sighed again. "Look, Mom, I'm sorry. I'll talk to you about things, but...just not this  
issue." She forced a smile. "Thanks for dinner."  
  
* * *  
  
Rika opened the door to her room and sat against the table. She just realized how weird and lonely  
it was without Renamon around. *Too late. She's gone back to the digital world.* Rika still hung  
out with Takato, Henry, Jeri, Kazu, Kenta and the others, but without Renamon, she was lonely  
in a different way.  
  
And Ryo. For some reason, she felt more close the Ryo than all the others, even Jeri, who she  
had developed a bond with. *But now he's so busy with school, and he lives so much farther away  
from the rest of us.* He only visited them once in a while. She wasn't sure what she felt for  
him, but she had to find out.   
  
Rika opened her closet and got out her beige coat. She scribbled down a brief note:  
  
  
To Mom  
  
Went out. No need to worry. I'll be back soon.  
  
Rika  
  
  
and left it on the bed. She popped open the window and leaped out of it. Five minutes later,  
she was out onto the dimly lit street and walking towards the park.  
  
* * *  
  
Ryo was walking. No, sprinting, actually. He wasn't sure where he was going, he just needed a   
walk to clear his mind. His mind was buzzing with the events of a month ago: the D-Reaper, powering  
up the blade with Sakuyamon's power, Rika...of course. Not a day had passed since the defeat  
of D-Reaper had he not think of Rika. That fierce wildcat. The image of her face brought a smile to  
his. He had fallen in love with her.  
  
* * *  
  
  
I wake up in the morning  
  
Put on my face  
  
The one that's gonna get me  
  
Through another day  
  
  
Rika finally reached the park. She stared up at the moonlight sky, and at the twinkling stars   
glittering up into the depths of space. That was where she saw her very first true friend, Renamon,  
disappearing back into the Digital World. It had been hard for all of them, but especially hard  
for her. Losing Renamon was one of the things that melted her heart.  
  
Ryo came up to the park and saw a figure standing there, looking up. He immediately ducked into  
a bush. *Who is that?* he thought.   
  
Rika turned around. "Who goes there?" she called. Before Ryo could answer, a cat that he didn't  
realize was right by him jumped out of the bush. Rika breathed out, and turned back around.   
*Rika?* Ryo thought. He could always see those beautiful amethyst eyes, even through dark.  
*What's she doing here so late?*  
  
  
It doesn't really matter  
  
How I feel inside  
  
This life is like  
  
A game sometimes  
  
  
"I miss you, Renamon." Rika felt her eyes watering up, with hot tears threatening to fall. They  
did, and coursed down her cheeks.  
  
"Rika?" said a voice from behind her. Rika jumped and quickly wiped away her tears. "Who's that?"  
  
Ryo stepped into the light. She immediately recognized his brown hair and red sweater.  
  
"Ryo..." Rika didn't know why, but she just ran toward him and threw her arms around him.  
"I'm so glad to see you..."  
  
  
Then you came around me  
  
The walls just disappeared  
  
There's nothing to protect me  
  
To keep me from my fears  
  
  
Ryo hugged her back awkwardly, but was glad she hugged him. "Really? I thought you'd be thrilled  
not to see my face again." Rika looked at him. It was obvious to him that she'd been crying.  
He reached out to wipe away her tear. "You've been crying." Rika smiled and nodded. "Pretty  
silly of me huh?" Ryo returned her smile. "Not at all. You've got a beautiful smile, Rika."  
(A/N: At this point Rika gets starry eyes! ;D)"Thanks, Ryo..."   
  
  
I'm unprotected  
  
See how I've opened up  
  
You've made me trust...  
  
  
"I--I--I've missed you." Rika stuttered, sitting with Ryo on the park bench. "You have?" Ryo  
looked at her surprise. "I thought I was a 'kid' you didn't want anything to do with." Rika  
looked away from his piercing blue eyes. "Um, about that..I'm really sorry. I--I--" She gulped.  
"I guess I was just so used to being 'Digimon Queen' that I couldn't stand the fact that the boy  
who beat me was next to me." Ryo laughed. "There, was that hard to get out?" Rika smiled and   
punched him playfully in the shoulder. "Shut up, Ryo. You're always trying to impress me."  
Now Ryo adopted a serious look on his face. "Actually, Rika...It's time I told you. Ever since  
I saw you in the Digital World, I kinda got a crush on you." Ryo coughed and turned away.  
"Wha...?" Rika stared at him, shocked. *Ryo Akiyama? Likes..me?!*  
  
  
And I've never felt   
  
Like this before  
  
I'm naked around you  
  
Does it show  
  
  
"...you have a crush...on me?" Ryo turned back at her. "I'm afraid it's developed into love."  
Now he was blushing embarassed. Rika felt like she was going to faint. She got up and started   
panicking. "No, Ryo, you--you can't! You're not supposed to love me!" Ryo felt like it had gone  
far enought. "Says who?! Who says I have to deny my feelings for you?!" Rika's voice was breaking.  
"No one but---this is not how it's supposed to turn out! You can't love me!"  
  
  
You see right through me  
  
And I can't hide  
  
I'm naked around you  
  
And it feels so right  
  
  
"Rika, listen to me! I don't care how it's supposed to turn out! I've been denying it long enough!  
You play tough girl on the outside but I know inside that the Rika I know wants to come out and--"  
Rika turned on him, her violet eyes blazing. "Don't pretend like you know me! You can't even begin to  
guess what I'm about!" Ryo scoffed. "Oh, can't I? We haven't known each other for long, Rika, but  
I know you more than you know yourself. I see right through you! Why can't you just admit it?!"  
  
  
Trying to remember  
  
Why I was afraid  
  
To be myself   
  
And let the covers fall away  
  
  
"BECAUSE--Because--" Rika began to cry. Ryo's eyes softened. He can't look at her cry and yell at  
her. She began to run away from him. "Forget it. Forget I ever brought up my feelings then, right?!"  
Ryo yelled. Rika turned around. "For once, you're right Ryo Akiyama. I'm sorry I ever met you!"  
She started to run faster. "No, Rika, wait!"  
  
  
Guess I never had   
  
Someone like you  
  
To help me fit  
  
In my skin  
  
  
Rika stopped and turned toward him, sobbing. She collapsed in his arms and mumbled some words.  
"Shh.." Ryo said. "I never wanted to make you cry, Rika..." Rika looked up at him. "I--I love you.  
And I don't care what you say, nothing's going to keep me from loving you, even though you  
hate me, I'm going to love you forever and---" he was cut off by a kiss from Rika.  
  
  
And I've never felt   
  
Like this before  
  
I'm naked around you  
  
Does it show  
  
  
Their lips parted, and Ryo was confused. "What? I thought--" Rika put her finger up to his mouth  
to quiet him. "You were right all this time, Ryo. I don't know why I pushed everyone away and  
kept my true feelings inside. Maybe I was scared--but that doesn't give me the right to treat  
you the way I did." Ryo hugged her again. "What are you saying, Rika?" Rika laughed quietly.  
"Don't you get it, Ryo? I fell in love with you,too."  
  
  
You see right through me  
  
And I can't hide  
  
I'm naked around you  
  
And it feels so right  
  
  
Ryo laughed too. "Why didn't you just tell me?" He kissed her softly. "With Renamon gone, I  
suddenly found myself sadder than usual..." Rika broke from his arms and looked up at the stars.  
"Aren't they beautiful, Ryo?" He walked up to her side. "Rika, what does this mean?"  
Rika didn't look away from the sky. "It means that I love you and you love me and...we both  
love each other." They both looked up at the stars.  
  
  
I'm so naked around you  
  
And I can't hide  
  
You're gonna see right through, baby...  
  
  
  
  
~Owari~  
  
  
  
Afternote: That's it! I know, I know, that was a really bad ending. I just didn't know how to   
end it. But I think it was sweet, anyway. The song belongs to Avril Lavigne and it's the last  
track on her CD, Let Go. Well I hope you enjoyed that! I'll be writing more Digimon fics in  
the future. Well, just to warn you, they might be sappy...oh well! Thanks for reading, please  
review and Ja ne! 


End file.
